Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best rock wool insulation board
Rockwool Insulation – the ultimate guide
If youre considering an external wall insulation project, you might have come across the term mineral wool. This is a high-performance type of insulation material made from stone or glass fibres. Mineral Wool is often referred to as Rockwool.
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Rockwool is best-known for being non-combustible (fireproof), but it also has many other great features!
In this blog, well take a look at some questions you might have about mineral wool insulation. Well outline what mineral wool is, its features and benefits. Consider this your ultimate guide to Rockwool Mineral Wool Insulation!
Read on to find out more about Rockwool insulation!
What is mineral wool?
Mineral wool is a type of insulation material that is made from stone and minerals that have been spun into strong fibres. As you can imagine, being made from stone fibres means that mineral wool creates a high-strength and durable thermal insulation material.
There are two main types of mineral wool fibreglass wool (made from glass fibres) and stone wool (made from stone or rock fibres). Both are derived from natural materials, and therefore are naturally resistant to the elements. This blog post will focus on stone wool insulation specifically Rockwool.
Lets find out more about this type of insulation!
What is Rockwool?
When considering mineral wool as an insulation material, you may have come across Rockwool. But what is it and is Rockwool the same as mineral wool?
Rockwool and mineral wool are the same. Rockwool is simply a brand of mineral wool insulation; it has simply become synonymous with mineral wool.
A unique feature of Rockwool insulation boards is that they are 3 times denser than fibreglass batts. This makes them a sturdy and long-lasting way to insulate your home.
At EWI Store, we stock Rockwool dual-density slabs which are designed specifically for EWI systems. This means that the top layer of insulation is a higher density than the rest of it. This creates a suitable and even surface to render onto.
Lets look at some of Rockwools unique features!
Rockwool features
Rockwool is a high-performance type of stone wool. It is one of the best insulation materials available on the market. Rockwool uses naturally derived minerals to provide high-strength, durable, and non-combustible thermal insulation to buildings.
Below is a breakdown of Rockwools unique properties:
- Fire: Euroclass A1 non-combustible.
- Thermal: 0.036 W/mK.
- Strength: Tensile strength perpendicular to faces 10 kPa.
- Acoustic insulation: reduces noise pollution.
- Breathable.
- Water-resistant.
- Sustainable: 97% recyclable and long-lasting.
These incredible properties make Rockwool a great material for largescale, commercial projects not just residential homes. This is why it is becoming increasingly popular among architects, as it provides an overall high level of safety and protection to your home.
Is Rockwool fireproof?
Yes! Rockwool is completely fireproof!
Fire resistance is valid concern for many homeowners and installers of commercial projects. Therefore, you will be glad to learn that Rockwool is indeed fireproof. In fact, Rockwool mineral wool insulation boards have the highest possible fire rating (Euroclass A1) for non-combustibility. This means that in the case of a fire, it wont burn or contribute to the fire.
As such, Rockwool is an incredibly safe external wall insulation material and has therefore become increasingly popular among architects and largescale. Investing in mineral wool as your chosen insulation material, will give you peace of mind knowing the exterior of your building is protected from fire.
Another key feature of Rockwool slabs that was mentioned earlier is that it provides excellent acoustic insulation.
Is Rockwool good for soundproofing?
This means that Rockwool (and mineral wool generally) is great for soundproofing your building! Soundproofing is especially useful in areas of high traffic and noise pollution, such as urban areas or next to roads.
So, if youre looking to reduce noise pollution to your home or building, Rockwool is a really great option that comes with many other benefits too!
How to install a Rockwool EWI system
As mentioned, Rockwool is a really great and versatile insulation material. It is also easy to install and is compatible with many other EWI products. Lets look at how you would go about applying it to a substrate.
You should always apply primer to your substrate before installing mineral wool insulation. Use the EWI-310 Universal Primer on smooth substrates and the EWI-301 Water Based Primer on brickwork.
Then, install a starter track, and follow with EWI-225 Premium Basecoat. We recommend that you apply Premium Basecoat around the perimeter of the Rockwool slabs and 3 dabs in the centre. This way, you can achieve an even surface before rendering!
You can read more about rendering onto Rockwool Mineral Wool insulation in our complete guide!
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Is Rockwool sustainable?
You might be surprised to learn that Rockwool insulation is actually one of the most sustainable external wall insulation materials available on the market.
Rockwool are a company committed to sustainability and improving their environmental impact. This means that all Rockwool products are made with sustainable materials and practices in mind. For example, Rockwool insulation is approximately 97% recyclable!
Rockwool mineral wool is made from naturally occurring materials. This means that it doesnt release any environmentally harmful, ozone-depleting greenhouse gases.
Not only this, but Rockwools incredible fire-proofing qualities make it a highly sustainable material too. This is because a building fire pollutes the immediate environment with large volumes of harmful gasses and chemicals. This depletes the o-zone layer, but also affects residents nearby. Rockwools fire safety features ensure this will not occur.
Therefore, Rockwool mineral wool is an excellent option for those who are looking for a safe and environmentally friendly insulation material.
Find out more!
Want to find out more about the mineral wool installation process? Check out our complete guide! This walks you through the installation process and highlights the materials required for the system.
Dont feel like reading? Give us a call on , one of our sales representatives will be happy to assist!
Check out the coverage rates of our mineral wool insulation boards below:
Thickness of board (mm)Coverage per pack (m2)502........72Everything You Need To Know About Rockwool Insulation
Rockwool insulation is one of the options you may come across when researching insulation options for your home, alongside fibreglass, spray foam, and insulated plasterboard. But what exactly is rockwool insulation, how is it made, what are its benefits, and how should you use it in your home? Read on to find out.
What Is Rockwool Insulation?
Rockwool is also sometimes known as mineral wool or stone wool, with each of these terms often used interchangeably. This type of insulation gets its name from the materials its made from, as its produced using rocks and stones.
Rockwool can be a natural byproduct of volcanic activity, but it can also be manufactured by heating rocks at extremely high temperatures until they melt and form a lava-like consistency. This is then blown - a little like how candy floss is spun - along with copper or steel slag (waste products), to form the insulation material.
This type of insulation comes in batt, board, roll, and pipe forms, and it tends to come in one standard colour, but is sometimes available with a foil backing. Rockwool insulation is a good option for insulating cavity walls, which are standard in the majority of homes built after .
What Are The Benefits Of Rockwool Insulation?
Rockwool insulation can have multiple benefits as an insulation material, from its R value to its acoustic soundproofing abilities. Its a good, thick form of home insulation, with its key benefits including:
- Made from recycled materials - stone wool insulation is typically made from up to 70% recycled materials, making it a good sustainable choice for making your home more eco-friendly
- High R value - rockwool insulation has a higher R value than fibreglass insulation (3.0 to 3.3 per inch compared to 2.2 to 2.7 per inch). This indicates that stone wool has higher thermal resistance, making it a good option to heat your home and potentially save you money on energy bills. Rockwool tends to maintain its R value over time too
- Incredibly versatile - rockwool insulation is wonderfully versatile, as it can be used to insulate different parts of your home, including the walls, loft, floor, and ceiling. This type of insulation can be used anywhere youd typically install fibreglass insulation
- Highly durable - the unique make-up of rockwool makes it such more durable than fibreglass insulation; it should last for as long as the building itself if installed correctly
- Mould-resistant - rockwool insulation is inorganic, meaning theres nowhere for mould to grow. Its moisture resistance also helps to prevent the growth of insulation mould
- Acoustic properties - as rockwool is a relatively thick insulation material, its an effective material for soundproofing a room
- Fire-resistant - as mineral wool insulation is formed from actual rocks and stones, its a great fire-resistant building material and can resist heat up to 1,400°F (760°C)
- Easy to install - stone wool insulation is less dusty and itchy to handle than fibreglass insulation, which makes it easier to install. Rockwool is also incredibly easy to cut when you have the right blade - a bread knife usually does the job
- Retains shape - this type of insulation is able to retain its shape over time as it helps to reduce air flow and heat flow, meaning the material can stay in its original condition for longer
Rockwool Insulation vs Fibreglass Insulation
If youre not sure whether to opt for rockwool or fibreglass (also known as glass wool) insulation, heres a direct comparison of the two types of insulation:
- Rockwool is thicker than fibreglass, increasing its thermal performance and acoustic soundproofing
- Stone wool insulation doesnt hold onto water, but fibreglass can if it gets wet, which may cause damage and potentially lead to insulation mould
- Rockwool tends to be a little more expensive than glass wool insulation
- Mineral wool insulation tends to be more durable than fibreglass
- Rockwool is typically less itchy and dusty to handle than fibreglass insulation
How To Install Rockwool Insulation
Rockwool insulation needs to be installed by a professional, and its fitted in a very similar way to fibreglass insulation. Before the installer begins, they will need to seal any gaps to ensure maximum efficiency.
Stone wool insulation comes in different forms that can be used in cavities, studs, cladding, and ceilings. The U Value team can help you to choose the right product for the job at hand.
Although mineral wool insulation is not as toxic as fibreglass insulation, its still recommended that gloves, goggles, long sleeves, and a protective face mask are worn when installing rockwool insulation, as it can still be quite dusty.
While the work is being carried out, rockwool insulation can be stored outside, as long as its securely wrapped.
If installed correctly, there is no reason why rockwool insulation shouldnt last for the same amount of time as a building itself; it has an extremely long lifetime, making it a great green investment.
Shop Rockwool Insulation At U Value
Discover different types of rockwool insulation at U Value, including Rockwool Roll, Rockwool Acoustic Rockfloor, Rockwool Hardrock, and more. Whether youre looking to improve the thermal performance, acoustic soundproofing, or R value of your property, mineral wool insulation is a great green investment to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
When you choose U Value, youre benefiting from our more than 40 years experience in the building industry - were a one-stop shop for all of our clients needs, whether youre looking for insulation or DIY accessories.
For further information please visit: https://www.uvalue.ie/contact or : 01 861
Contact us to discuss your requirements of rock wool insulation board. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.